Gasoline spillage catcher



June 24, 1969 w. SIPPOLA 3,451,445

GASOLINE SPILLAGE CATCHEH Filed Dec. 1, 1967 INVENTOR.

Lea mswala United States Patent US. Cl. 141-285 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A spongy gasoline spillage catcher having an axial openingtherethrough for receiving a gasoline pump nozzle and adapted to beplaced in substantially liquid-tight communication with the spout of avehicle-mounted gasoline tank, whereby any gasoline that backs upthrough the spout as the tank is being filled by the nozzle will beabsorbed by the catcher, preventing the gasoline from damaging thefinish of the vehicle.

The use of gasoline pumps and the nozzles thereof to fill the gasolinetanks of vehicles, such as automobiles, is old in the art. At times,when the nozzle operator attempts to fill the gasoline tank too fast,the displacement of air within the tank by the inrushing gasoline causesair pressure to build up within the tank. The air pressure forces thegasoline back out through the tank spout and over the fender or bumperof the vehicle, and the gasoline discolors and damages the finishthereof. United States Patent 3,159,409 issued Dec. 1, 1964 to R. V.Koehler entitled, Fuel Tank Filler Tube and Drain shows one possiblesolution to this problem.

The present invention provides a gasoline spillage catcher made ofspongy material, having an opening therethrough for receiving the pumpnozzle, and adapted to be placed in substantially liquid-tightcommunication with the tank spout. A catcher thereby is provided toabsorb any gasoline which otherwise would be forced out of the spoutonto the vehicles finish while at the same time permitting the displacedair to pass from the tank spout through the catcher to the atmosphere.

The best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side sectional view of a gasoline spillage catcherembodying the present invention, with the pump nozzle inserted in oneend of the opening therethrough and with the tank spout inserted in theother end of the opening.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the catcher shown in FIGURE I, removed fromthe pump nozzle and the tank spout.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal elevation of a modified form of catcherembodying the present invention, shown partly broken away.

The gasoline spillage catcher shown in FIGURE 1 has an axial openingtherethrough comprising an outer orifice 11, which has a diameter whichis larger than the diameter of the open end of the spout 12 of avehiclemounted gasoline tank 13 and which is adapted to receive the openend of the spout 12 (thereby placing the catcher 10 in substantiallyliquid-tight communication with the spout 12); and an inner orifice 14,which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer orifice 11,and which is adapted to receive a gasoline pump nozzle 15.

Although it is contemplated that the present invention encompassgasoline spillage catchers having other external shapes (such ascatchers which are cylindrical),

7 it is preferred that the gasoline spillage catcher 10 be substantiallyin the shape of a frustum of a cone with the lower base or largediameter end thereof adjacent the inner orifice 14 of the axial opening,in order that the pump operator readily may insert the catcher 10through a vehicle fender or bumper opening or the like to place thecatcher 10 in substantially liquid-tight communication with the spout12.

In use, the inner orifice 11 of the axial opening of the catcher 10 isplaced over the open end of the spout 12 of gasoline tank 13 so that thespout 12 is received in the inner orifice 11, until the open end of thespout 12 abuts a shoulder formed by the junction within the catcher 10of the inner orifice 11 with the outer orifice 14 of the opening, Theabutting of the open end of the spout 12 with the shoulder precludes anypossibility that gasoline may be freely urged backward through the openend of the spout 12 and soil the finish of the vehicle. The catcher 10is fabricated from a spongy material (such as foam plastic or foamrubber), which is absorbent (in order to catch the backwardly urgedgasoline and absorb and hold it) and yet is sufiiciently porous topermit the air in the tank 13, which is displaced by gasoline during thecourse of the filling of the tank 13, to escape from the spout 12 andthrough the catcher 10 to the atmosphere, thereby preventing theformation of back pressure in the tank 13 which would slow the rate offilling thereof.

A modified form of gasoline spillage catcher 16 is illustrated in FIGURE3 and has an axial opening 17 therethrough, of substantially uniformdiameter, for receiving only a pump nozzle. The body of the catcher 16also is in the shape of a frustum of a cone. However, the diameter ofthe upper base or small diameter end of the catcher 16 is smaller, andthe diameter of the lower base or larger diameter end is larger, thanthe diameter of the gasoline tank spout. Such a shape permits the nozzleoperator to place the catcher 16 in substantially liquidtightcommunication with the tanks spout by inserting the small diameter endof the catcher 16 into the gasoline tank spout until the catcher 16,because of its frustum-like external shape, completely fills the openend of the spout and acts somewhat as an air permeable, liquid gasolineabsorbing stopper.

I claim:

1. A liquid dispensing assembly for filling a liquid storag e tankhaving a filling spout having an open end, comprising:

a liquid dispensing nozzle having a liquid discharge end adapted forinsertion into the open end of the filling spout, the outer dimensionsof the liquid discharge end of the dispensing nozzle being less than theinner dimensions of the open end of the filling spout, and

a spillage catcher member fabricated from an air permeable, liquidabsorbing material, the catcher member having an inner end, an outerend, and an axial opening extending therethrough, and adapted tosurround the liquid discharge end of the nozzle with the outer end ofthe catcher member closing the opening defined between the inside of thefilling spout of the liquid storage tank and the outside surface of thedispensing nozzle when the liquid discharge end of the nozzle isinserted in the open end of the filling spout, whereby the catchermember prevents liquid entrained in air being displaced from the tankduring filling from splashing out of the filling spout whilesimultaneously allowing the air being displaced by the liquid enteringthe tank during filling to escape out of the spout through the catchermember to the atmosphere.

2. The liquid dispensing assembly of claim 1 in which the axial openingthrough the catcher member includes:

an outer orifice having a diameter larger than the diam- 4 eter of theopen end of the filling spout to receive the open end of the spouttherein, and References Cited an inner orifice opposite the outerorifice and communi- UNITED STATES PATENTS cating therewith, the innerorifice having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer orificeto re- 5 3362587 1/1968 Postal 222 108 ceive the liquid discharge end ofthe dispensing nozzle, with the orifices defining a shoulder at thejunc- FOREIGN PATENTS tion thereof to engage the open end of the filling969,607 5/ 1950 c spout of the liquid storage tank. 1,089,860 /1954France.

3. The liquid dispensing assembly of claim 1, in which 10 330,769 8/1958Switzerlani the catcher member defines a frustum of a cone, the diameterof the outer end of the catcher member being smaller WALTER SOBIN=Prlmary Exammerthan the inside diameter of the open end of the fillingspout of the liquid storage tank and the outside diameter of the innerend of the catcher member being larger than 15 141392; 222108 the insidediameter of said open end.

